Coin sorting and conveying apparatus

ABSTRACT

A tilted disc having openings therein rotates against a surface of a base member and the openings receive coins from a hopper and slide them upwardly along the surface. An upper portion of the surface slopes away from the disc and pins on the disc continue to propel the coins even though the coins have passed completely through the disc. The coins are propelled into the path of lugs on a linear conveyor moving at high speed and the parts are timed so that a lug engages a coin while it is still in contact with a pin and the lug accelerates and propels the coin along a linear path, thus the coin is always under the positive control of guiding and propelling means.

[451 Oct. 17,1972

United States Patent Black et al.

Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka Attorney-Bacon & Thomas [54] COINSORTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUS [72] Inventors: Thomas J. Black, Reston;Werner ABSTRACT A tilted disc having openings therein rotates against aH. Schmitt, Falls Church, both of Va.

surface of a base member and the openings receive F. Westermann, Falls[73] Assignee: Werner coins from a hopper and slide them upwardly alongthe surface. An upper portion of the surface slopes Church, Va.

away from the disc and pins on the disc continue to 221 Filed: June23,1971

propel the coins even though the coins have passed Appl. No.: 155,983

completely through the disc. The coins are propelled into the path oflugs on a linear conveyor moving at high speed and the parts are timedso that a lug en- [52] US. Cl. AA, 198/103 gages a coin while it isstill in contact with a pin and 1m. 47/24 198/33 AA, 103;133/3 A, 3 E,

the lug accelerates and propels the coin along a linear [58] Field ofSearch...

path, thus the coin is always under the positive control of guiding andpropelling means.

[56] References Cited 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS3,145,827 Bonsignore ...........198/33 AA PATENTEDnm 11 i912 SHEET 2 0F2 DIE E-ETAXEIETQZE H TTOP/VE Y5 COIN SORTING AND CONVEYING APPARATUSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to coin sorting andconveying means and particularly to high speed devices for picking coinsfrom a random supply, arranging them in sequential order and conveyingthem along a generally linear path for sorting and counting.

Most existing coin sorting machines employ a coin wheel to achieveinitial separation of coins prior to sorting and counting. The coinwheel generally comprises a thin circular plate revolving in closecontact with a flat base plate usually inclined at some suitable angle.Coins loaded against the revolving coin wheel are caught in a series ofcircular holes around the periphery of the wheel and are subsequentlycarried up to the highest point on the wheel where they are transferredat a uniform rate to the sorting system, comprising a suitable rail orslot on or in which the coins are physically separated into theirrespective denominations. This point of transfer from coin wheel tosorting mechanism provides a serious problem in the design of high speedmachines. In conventional low speed systems, the coins generally fallfreely from the holes in the coin wheel onto the counting rail or slot.At this point they are essentially out of control momentarily. Whilethis constitutes no serious difficulty at low speed in a well designedsystem, the problem becomes critical at high speeds since the dynamicforces acting on the coins increase with the square of the speed so thateven very small disturbances in the motion of the coins during transfercan result in misalignment and jamming at high sorting speeds. v

Some machines have attempted to avoid the transfer problem byeliminating the coin wheel as an intermediate stop in the sortingprocess. For example, some utilize a series of pick up lugs on anendless chain to achieve both separation and sorting of the coinswithout the need for intermediate transfer from a coin wheel. Theproblem with this type of system is that the fast-moving lugs arerequired to pick up the coins from rest, on a stationary surface. Theresultant inertial forces acting on the coins during this pick upprocedure again limit the high speed capability of this type of machine.

There is no question that the coin wheel offers considerable advantagein high speed systems in that the flat revolving surface of the wheelprovides the frictional drive to generate the initial motion of thecoins from rest so that subsequent location of the coins in the holes onthe wheel is accomplished relatively easily even at high wheel speeds.

On some machines the coins leaving the coin wheel fall directly intoslots behind the wheel in which sorting is achieved. A major problem inthese machines, particularly at higher speeds, is that jamming canresult from two coins entering the sorting slot simultaneously. Whenthis occurs, major servicing of the machine is generally required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention comprises generally a rotatabledisc having a portion extending into a hopper containing a random supplyof coins of different denominations. The rotary disc is provided withopenings in each of which a single coin rests and is carried by the discalong a supporting surface.

while that coin is still in engagement with propelling means on thedisc. Thus, the coins are at all times under the positive control of theapparatus and at no time are they in free fall or in a free anduncontrolled sliding or rolling condition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevationalview of an ap'- paratus involving the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view, partly in section, as

seen along the lines 22 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective sectional view of a portion of the apparatus,taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT I As shown in the drawings, theapparatus embodying the present invention is mounted on a suitablesupport or base 2 and comprises a fixed base member 4 supported bybrackets 6, 8 and 10 on the base 2, in a manner to position a frontplanar surface 12 of the base 4 in a generally upright but slantedattitude. Approxi mately the lower half of the generally cylindricalbase 4 supports a hopper 14 in which a supply of random denominationcoins 16 may be placed. The hopper 14 holds the coins 16 so that theygravitate toward the surface 12 of base 4. The base member 4 is'providedwith a central opening 18 in which a shaft 19 is journalled. Arelatively thin disc 22 is fixed to the forward end of shaft 19 closelyadjacent the surface 12 of base 4. The disc 22 is provided with a seriesof circular openings 24 adjacent its periphery (see FIG. 2) and whichopenings overlie the surface 12. The disc 22.is spaced from the surface12 only sufficiently to permit rotation of the disc without unduefrictional drag on the surface 12. The openings 24 are each slightlylarger in diameter than the diameter of the largest coin to be sorted bythe apparatus. As is known in the art, coins 16 will enter the openings24 in the lower regions of the disc 22 and will assume a positiontherein lying flat against the surface 12 so that rotation of the disccarries such coins upwardly, as will be described. As is known, openings24 of a size to loosely receive the largest coins from the supply 16will receive only a single coin of the smallest denomination. Forexample, the openings 24 are only slightly larger than a 50 cent pieceand only one of the smallest coins, a dime, can be received within eachopening.

A drive shaft 20 is the output shaft from a motor 26 which is shown asdriving through a suitable reduction gear box 28 to the drive shaft 20.A sprocket wheel 30 fixed to shaft 20, drives an endless chain 32trained over a sprocket wheel 34 on shaft 19. The sprocket wheel 34 isfixed to the shaft 19 which in turn has the disc 22 fixed thereon. Alsofixed to the shaft 20 is a bevel gear 36 which meshes with a smallerbevel gear 38 fixed to a shaft 40 journalled in bracket 8. A

which will be described in greater detail later. It is to be noted,however, that the shaft 19 and disc 22 rotate at the same speed as shaft20 whereas, due to the relative sizes of gears 36, 38 and 42, theconveyor chain 44 is driven at a higher linear speed than the linearspeed of the portion of disc 22 in which openings 24 are located.

The surface 12 of base 4 defines an annular coin track around theperiphery of that surface, which coin track is planar throughout most ofits extent. However, the upper left hand quadrant of that coin track (asseen in FIG. 2) is defined by a sloping surface 48 which slopes awayfrom the disc 22 from about the transition line 49, reaching its lowestpoint at the top of the coin path. The radially inner edge of thesloping portion of the coin path defined by surface 48 is defined by ashoulder 50, substantially coincident with the inner edges of openings24, which limits the radially inward travel of coins being sorted. FIGS.1 and 3 illustrate the sloping'portion of the coin path, and as can beseen in FIG. 1, the surface 48 is several coin thicknesses away from thedisc 22 at the top of the disc.

The base member 4 is provided with a pair of concentric circular grooves52 extending therearound intermediate the inner and outer edges of theopenings 24. Adjacent each opening 24, near the trailing edge thereof,the disc 22 is provided with a pair of rearwardly or downwardlyprojecting pins 54. The pins are fixed to the disc 22 and rotatetherewith, being positioned to extend downwardly into and to move alongwithin the grooves 52. The length of the pins 54 and the depth ofgrooves 52 are at least equal to the distance from disc 22 to thesurface 48 at the top of the coin path. Thus, it will be seen that coinsentering the openings 24 will first be caused to slide upwardly alongthe surface 12 until they reach the point 49 where the sloping surface48 commences. They will then follow that surface 48, as indicated inFIG. 1, but will no longer be in contact with the edge of an opening 24.At that time the pins 54 engage the rear edges of the coins and propelthem along the coin track toward the top portion thereof. FIG. 3illustrates how the pins 54 drive coins along the surface 48. It is tobe noted that the shoulder 50 holds the coins being propelled by pins 54on their circular coin track, previously referred to.

At the top of the coin path the surface 48 merges with a guiding surface56 on a conveyor track 58, which surface is sloped at substantially thesame angle as the surface 48 so that coins can move smoothly from thesurface 48 to the surface 56. The coin track 58 is provided with asupporting flange 60 which supports coins thereon, the flange 60extending substantially in alignment with the upper straight portion ofshoulder 50, indicated at 62 in FIG. 2. The coin track 58 is providedwith a longitudinal slot 64 therethrough and through which the lugs 46on conveyor chain 48 extend. It is to be noted that the lugs 46 are ofsuch length that they extend forwardly to a position closely adjacentthe inner or bottom surface of disc 22 and the parts are all so arrangedand positioned that the path of movement of lugs 46 extends between thepins 54 of each pair of pins, all as clearly shown, at the top of FIG.2. Alternatively, the path of the lugs may be below both pins 54 at thetop of the coin path.

As shown in FIG. 2, the lug 46 at position A is just about to makecontact with the coin being pushed by pins 54 at that position. Theforward speed of the lugs 46, however, is considerably greater than thespeed of pins 54 so that lug moves forwardly between the pins, engagesthe coin and accelerates it along the track 58. By the time the lug atposition A reaches the position B, the pins 54 that have advanced thecoin being pushed by that lug have fallen behind so that when the lugreaches position B, the corresponding pins have only reached position Cand they can then move downwardly away from the coin track before thenext lug 46 arrives to interfere with such movement. In like manner pinsand a coin being pushed thereby approaching the position A are inadvance of the lug 46 that will eventually engage that coin and can moveupwardly to position A in advance of the next succeeding lug 46. Thus,there is no interference between the pins and lugs.

It is to be noted that coins entering the openings 24 are at all timesunder positive control of the apparatus and this permits unusually highspeeds of operation. The disc 22 accelerates the coins from standstillto a substantial velocity around the circular path and then the lugs 46again accelerate the coins to an even higher speed along coin track 58and the coins are at all times in engagement with propelling means sothat no high impact or accelerating forces are necessary. Apparatus ofthe type described is capable of sorting and advancing coins at the rateof at least 900 coins per minute, which is considerably in excess ofspeeds heretofore possible.

It is contemplated that the coin track 58 convey the coins, in randomdenominational arrangement to means for sorting, collecting, andcounting the coins in accordance with their size or denomination. Suchmeans are not illustrated herein since they are not part of the presentinvention.

While a single specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed herein, other embodiments will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art and the foregoing description is merely illustrativeof the principles involved.

We claim:

1. A high speed coin sorting and conveying device comprising:

a base member having a guiding surface tilted from the vertical anddefining a generally annular coin track;

a disc rotatably mounted closely adjacent said surface and having anannular series of coin receiving openings therethrough overlying saidannular coin track;

hopper means for holding a supply of coins adjacent the lower portion ofsaid disc whereby a coin may enter each opening;

drive means for rotating said disc in one direction to slide coins insaid openings along said surface;

at least one circular groove in said base, extending around said cointrack;

at least one pin means fixed to said disc adjacent the trailing side ofeach coin receiving opening and extending into said groove for movementtherealong as said disc rotates;

a portion of said surface defining said coin track, in the upperquadrant on the rising side of said disc, being progressively slopedaway from said disc to a distance greater than one coin thickness awayfrom said disc at the top of said coin track whereby coins are propelledtherealong by said'pin means;

a coin supporting and guiding rail means substantially tangent to saidcoin track at the top thereof; and

a conveyor having spaced lugs movable along said rail means, said drivemeans being arranged to drive said conveyor in timed relation torotation of said disc whereby successive lugs engage successive coins atthe top of said coin track while said coins are in engagement with saidpin means and then propel said coins along said rail means.

2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member is providedwith a pair of said circular grooves and said disc is provided with apin means for each groove adjacent each coin receiving opening, saidgrooves being spaced apart.

3. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive means is arrangedto drive said conveyor at a higher linear speed than the linear speed ofsaid pin means whereby said lug means accelerate successive coins ontosaid rail means.

4. A device as defined in claim 3 wherein said lug means are spacedapart on said conveyor a distance greater than the spacing betweensuccessive pin means on said disc.

5. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said conveyor is so arrangedthat the said lugs thereon pass between corresponding pin means atsubstantially the top of said coin track.

6. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said grooves and pin means aresubstantially symmetrically arranged between the radially inner andouter edges of said coin receiving openings.

7. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said base member, at saidsloping portion of said coin track, is provided with a coin guiding wallgenerally perpendicular to said disc and substantially aligned with theradiopenings there-through overlying said annular coin track;

hopper means for holding a supply of coins adjacent the lower portion ofsaid disc whereby a coin may enter each opening;

drive means for rotating said disc in one direction to slide coins insaid openings along said surface;

a portion of said surface defining said coin track, in the upperquadrant on the rising side of said disc, being progressively slopedaway from said disc to a distance greater than one coin thickness awayfromsaid disc at the tog of said coin track; propelling means on Sandisc, ad acent the trailing edges of said openings, for engaging coinson said sloped surface to propel the same therealong;

a coin supporting and guiding rail means substantially tangent to saidcoin track at the top thereof; and

a conveyor having spaced lugs movable along said rail means, said drivemeans being arranged to drive said conveyor in timed relation torotation of said disc whereby successive lugs engage successive coins atthe top of said coin track while said coins are in engagement with saidpropelling means and then propel said coins along said rail means.

9. A device as defined in claim 8 wherein said drive means is arrangedto drive said conveyor at a higher linear speed than the linear speed ofsaid propelling means whereby said lug means accelerate successive coinsonto said rail means.

1. A high speed coin sorting and conveying device comprising: a basemember having a guiding surface tilted from the vertical and defining agenerally annular coin track; a disc rotatably mounted closely adjacentsaid surface and having an annular series of coin receiving openingstherethrough overlying said annular coin track; hopper means for holdinga supply of coins adjacent the lower portion of said disc whereby a coinmay enter each opening; drive means for rotating said disc in onedirection to slide coins in said openings along said surface; at leastone circular groove in said base, extending around said coin track; atleast one pin means fixed to said disc adjacent the trailing side ofeach coin receiving opening and extending into said groove for movementtherealong as said disc rotates; a portion of said surface defining saidcoin track, in the upper quadrant on the rising side of said disc, beingprogressively sloped away from said disc to a distance greater than onecoin thickness away from said disc at the top of said coin track wherebycoins are propelled therealong by said pin means; a coin supporting andguiding rail means substantially tangent to said coin track at the topthereof; and a conveyor having spaced lugs movable along said railmeans, said drive means being arranged to drive said conveyor in timedrelation to rotation of said disc whereby successive lugs engagesuccessive coins at the top of said coin track while said coins are inengagement with said pin means and then propel said coins along saidrail means.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said base memberis provided with a pair of said circular grooves and said disc isprovided with a pin means for each groove adjacent each coin receivingopening, said grooves being spaced apart.
 3. A device as defined inclaim 1 wherein said drive means is arranged to drive said conveyor at ahigher linear speed than the linear speed of said pin means whereby saidlug means accelerate successive coins onto said rail means.
 4. A deviceas defined in claim 3 wherein said lug means are spaced apart on saidconveyor a distance greater than the spacing between successive pinmeans on said disc.
 5. A device as defined in claim 2 wherein saidconveyor is so arranged that the said lugs thereon pass betweencorresponding pin means at substantially the top of said coin track. 6.A device as defined in claim 2 wherein said grooves and pin means aresubstantially symmetrically arranged between the radially inner andouter edges of said coin receiving openings.
 7. A device as defined inclaim 1 wherein said base member, at said sloping portion of said cointrack, is provided with a coin guiding wall generally perpendicular tosaid disc and substantially aligned with the radially inner edges ofsaid coin receiving openings, said guiding wall extending tangent tosaid coin track at the top thereof and in alignment with a coinsupporting flange on said rail means.
 8. A high speed coin sorting andconveying device comprising: a base member having a guiding surfacetilted from the vertical and defining a generally annular coin track; adisc rotatably mounted closely adjacent said surface and having anannular series of coin receiving openings there-through overlying saidannular coin track; hopper means for holding a supply of coins adjacentthe lower portion of said disc whereby a coin may enter each opening;drive means for rotating said disc in one direction to slide coins insaid openings along said surface; a portion of said surface definingsaid coin track, in the upper quadrant on the rising side of said disc,being progressively sloped away from said disc to a distance greaterthan one coin thickness away from said disc at the top of said cointrack; propelling means on said disc, adjacent the trailing edges ofsaid openings, for engaging coins on said sloped surface to propel thesame therealong; a coin supporting and guiding rail means substantiallytangent to said coin track at the top thereof; and a conveyor havingspaced lugs movable along said rail means, said drive means beingarranged to drive said conveyor in timed relation to rotation of saiddisc whereby successive lugs engage successive coins at the top of saidcoin track while said coins are in engagement with said propelling meansand then propel said coins along said rail means.
 9. A device as definedin claim 8 wherein said drive means is arranged to drive said conveyorat a higher linear speed than the linear speed of said propelling meanswhereby said lug means accelerate successive coins onto said rail means.